New Delhi: As PM Narendra Modi celebrated his 75th birthday, there was little reason to cheer for lakhs of people devastated by flood all over the country. In Delhi alone 10,000 odd people have been rendered homeless as they live in makeshift camps at the banks of the river Yamuna.
Waterlogging and Flood at Yamuna Bazar. Courtesy: Prateek Chauhan
The swirling waters from the bloated Yamuna river entered the flood plains and colonies in the low lying areas of the capital. Though casualties have been low, but lot of people were rendered homeless. Grappling with the harsh aftermath of the flood was Mahender Singh, a resident of Gadi Medu. Floods turned his world upside down. His daughter was to get married in October, but now he is uncertain whether he can do it from his home. Lot of such confusion has taken hold of thousands of dwellers in flood effected parts in different parts of North India including Delhi.
Challenge does not end when the waters recede and the people go back to their water soaked abode. Now Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) was using its imagination to fight another scourge- employing an innovative method- Drones- to prevent the breeding of mosquitoes in stagnant water pockets left by the floods.
A tactic reminiscent of covid-19 days, drones have been deployed to spray anti-larval medicine in hard-to-reach areas along the river banks. This is a measure aimed at preventing outbreaks of vector-borne diseases like dengue, malaria and chikungunya. Pravesh Sahi, who represents this area, explained the efforts the MCD was putting in to prevent the spread of vector borne diseases.
Mahender Singh painted a grim picture of despair: “As silt has entered our home, and the whole area is in the grip of stagnant water, it has become difficult to move around. In addition to damage due to water, our homes are in a shattered condition. Due to the floods, our valuable documents have been destroyed.” What happens to Mahender Singh if Election Commission asks for his lost documents?
A team of 136 MCD workers was on the ground; 4,329 homes had been sprayed with anti-larval medicine, fogging was conducted, and underground drain fogging was also done, especially with rising temperatures, targeting common house mosquitoes breeding in dirty water, he said.
MCD statistics from Delhi-till September 6- painted a worrying picture: 264 malaria cases, 557 dengue cases, and 42 chikungunya cases had been reported.
The flood has brought to the fore seething rage towards the government. Anita Singh, a Yamuna Bazar resident, voiced frustration: “Nothing much has been done. Children aren’t able to go to school. What can I tell you – we’re facing massive problems on every front. MCD has started fogging and other measures but conditions here are worse. Most people in our area suffer from viral fever with cough, and many face breathing problems. Seeing the present condition, I reckon all our festivals this month have gone for a toss. God has been cruel to us.”
Photos Courtesy: Prateek Chauhan/Health on Air
